The Grid Salutes Antonelli: 'He's Blown Everyone Away'

Kimi Antonelli is a World Champion, and the reaction up and down the grid suggests nobody regards it as a fluke. The 20-year-old clinched the 2026 title with third place at the Mexico City Grand Prix, sharing the podium with race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, then listened as rivals lined up to applaud a season that left little room for argument.

Why it matters:

A second-year driver beating a field containing Verstappen, Hamilton and reigning champion Lando Norris would stand out in any era. Doing it while outperforming an experienced teammate — and without the errors young drivers are supposed to make — is what struck his peers most.

The details:

• Verstappen, who won the race, was generous: "To achieve this in your second year in F1 is always very impressive... he's the deserved champion this year."
• Hamilton called sharing the podium with Antonelli on the day he sealed the crown "one of the most special moments that I remember having here."
• Norris, the man he succeeds, was blunt: "Unbelievable. He's blown everyone away. I hope everyone gives him enough credit... he's made everyone else look silly."
• Oscar Piastri credited Mercedes for supplying the car and the support, but stressed "he's done the business as well."
• Charles Leclerc picked out the image of Antonelli's parents beneath the podium, while Carlos Sainz praised a dominant first half of the season followed by a controlled second — "what a World Champion has to do."
• Alex Albon argued race pace is what separated him from the rest of the grid, and Gabriel Bortoleto admitted he marvelled at how the Italian never buckled under the weight of leading the standings from start to finish.

What's next:

The remaining rounds now amount to a lap of honour. The harder question is whether Mercedes can keep him at the front once rivals respond, and whether the chasing pack — Bortoleto included, who openly hopes to fight him for titles — can close the gap.